Description
Price: $14.99 - $11.10
(as of Mar 29, 2025 16:50:36 UTC – Details)
A fun, fully illustrated exercise book that details Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s workout, written by her trainer.
Have you ever wondered what keeps Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of the Supreme Court’s favorite octogenarians, so sprightly? She owes it in part to the twice-weekly workouts she does with her personal trainer, Bryant Johnson, a man she’s called “the most important person” in her life. Now you too can work out with Justice Ginsburg’s trainer in the comfort of your home with The RBG Workout. From planks to squats to (full) push-ups, this simple but challenging workout—illustrated with four-color illustrations of the justice in workout gear—will have you getting fit in no time. With tips from the bench, and sidebars with Bryant’s folksy wisdom on getting fit and staying healthy, this delightful book is a perfect gift for anyone looking to emulate one of America’s most admired women.
From the Publisher
Front & Side Planks from the RBG Workout
Author Bryant Johnson explains how to do a perfect plank — just like Justice Ginsburg.
2 Sets/30 seconds front | 1 set/15–30 seconds each side
1. Assume a push-up-like position on a towel or mat, with your forearms resting on the floor, your elbows directly beneath your shoulders, and both legs extended.
2. Hold your body aloft for 30 seconds, keeping a straight line between your shoulder blades and the backs of your heels. Keep your core tight, and remember to breathe.
3. Turn onto your right side, with your right forearm on the floor and your elbow directly beneath your shoulder. Hold your body aloft and raise your left hand straight up toward the ceiling, rest it on your hip, or, if necessary, place it on the floor in front of you until you are strong enough to raise it.
4. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and then switch to your other side and repeat.
5. Repeat the front plank hold for 30 seconds.
Tip
They say some Supreme Court justices lean right or lean left, but I know Justice Ginsburg remains dead center—at least during this exercise. While she is doing front planks, I gently nudge her torso off to the side with my leg (alternating the side of her body that I’m standing on), which forces her to engage her core to remain centered. You can have a friend or partner do the same.
Upping the Ante
During a recent workout, Justice Ginsburg upped the ante by doing her front plank in a full push-up position, with her hands on the floor, without even realizing she had slipped into this more difficult variation. With enough practice, you may find you want to challenge yourself with the push-up- position variation—or that you’ve started doing it without even noticing.
Publisher : Harvest; Illustrated edition (October 17, 2017)
Language : English
Hardcover : 128 pages
ISBN-10 : 1328919129
ISBN-13 : 978-1328919120
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 5.25 x 0.5 x 7.25 inches
Customers say
Customers find the exercises in the book simple and accessible. They find the book easy to follow with clear instructions and illustrations. The information is informative and helpful for all ages. The book provides a fun and entertaining way to maintain strength and balance.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Ronald H. Clark –
Think you can do an 84 year-old’s biweekly workout? Just try it!
I first became aware of the RBG workout last March when Politico ran an article “I did Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Workout. It Nearly Broke me.” Unlike the present book, it was not written by RBG’s trainer of some 10 years but a Politico staffer. It had a few illustrations but was mostly text. I gave a copy to my trainer for his reaction. I guess the article stirred up so much interest, that a book was put together. I bought two copies and gave one to my trainer; we went over it section by section to see if we could incorporate any elements of the Justice’s dynamic workout into my much less ambitious routine.The book is much more valuable than the article, even though you have to pay for it. It is written by her trainer, and the illustrations by Patrick Welsh are fantastic–every exercise is illustrated using a drawing of RBG doing it. This makes it much easier to follow the written description. Most exercises also have a second section which is how you can do the equivalent exercise at home if you are not working out in a gym. The book though small in dimensions is encased within very sturdy covers, so you can slip it into your gym bag with no fear of damaging it. The paper is also very high quality and should last for many workouts.The book is divided into three sections: warm-up; strength exercises; cooldown. Also a bonus is the interesting intro where her trainer recounts how their relationship came about. He now is also working with two other Justices. The routine calls for twice weekly sessions. Also helpful are illustrated descriptions of key equipment, and a brief section on “Precautions” or use common sense and avoid injury. Being interested in RBG and her work on the Court, I found the examples of their chatter during workouts as very helpful in gaining an insight into her remarkable personality. So the book is a winner all the way around.One final word, if you are under the impression that a workout an 84 year old female judge performs must be a snap, let me warn you that is not the case. RBG is ten years older than me and leaves me far in the dust in tackling these exercises. This is a very good sign: she is determined to make it AT LEAST to the next election and doing this workout will certainly give her the best odds of doing so.
BG Hammond –
Great explanation of exercises
Easy to follow offers gym and then how to do at home without fancy equipment
Moniva –
If RBG, at 84 and as busy as she is, can do this twice a week, so can I. And, so can you.
I have started to do this workout, and I am finding it very do-able and while I wouldn’t say it is enjoyable, since it IS exercise aka WORKING out, they call it work, not play, it isn’t torture, either. I like the flow of the exercises, I like the little comments the trainer makes. The illustrations and text are clear so that I easily understand what I need to do to perform the exercise. I have a weight stack in my basement which affords me the possibility of doing at least most of the ‘at the gym’ exercises, and I have done those as well as the same versions for at home, using bands and or tubes and doorways and chairs. I find both methods are easy enough to do, the at home method is very accessible, probably, for most people. I don’t have the medicine ball or the flat sided ball, but think I will get them in the future. I am keeping to doing this workout twice a week. If a Supreme Court justice can manage to find the time, I can too. I am a 55 year old, fairly healthy woman, I am moderately fit, and have an autoimmune arthritis disorder. If I can do this, most anyone can. You start at your level. RBG didn’t start with doing planks either.
Luchi1012 –
Great exercises for Seniors or Young People
I love this book! As soon as I received it, read it through a couple of times. It’s good to read and understand about all the exercises. The illustrations are great. It gives you an option for each exercise so you can do it on a machine at a gym or with resistance bands at home or wherever. I like that it first gives you warm up exercises, then gives you machine/band exercises, then floor and chair exercises, then stability ball exercises, also a few medicine ball and bosu ball. (It’s a half ball w/platform). I already did one complete set (whew!) and they cover all the muscle groups…l could tell the next day. I started out with ONE SET of each, so as not to end up sore. At the end are cool down exercises. Justice Ginsburg does one hour, 2x per week…the exercises could also be broken into smaller parts, to be done in more days. The book is small and fits right in my gym bag. I took it to the gym and just followed it…felt good to have sort of my private coach. I am 75, and I was able to do them. Not easy, but I went easy and slow.
thinker –
Great Program If You Don’t Have A Trainer or Don’t Want One
This is a great little book. I’m about the same age as RBG was when she began working out, and I started working out with a trainer four years ago after recovering from an accident that put me in a wheelchair for four months. Recently I decided I no longer needed a trainer since I could do a pretty good workout on my own (and save many $$$, and not have to show up for specific appointments). I ordered this book after seeing RBG herself at an event where she mentioned the book and her overwhelming gratitude to her trainer.Looking over the book, I am amazed at how it is very much like the workout I developed on my own after the years with a trainer. It includes many things I do, as well as many I haven’t been doing but have done with my trainer (and would probably be wise to incorporate into my routine). It’s a solid, simple, no gimmicks workout, probably good for all ages but particularly for older people who are not looking to bulk up or win body-building competitions, but rather want to maintain or increase strength, flexibility, and balance. I am a huge believer in working out to stay in shape, as my doctors said if I hadn’t been so fit before my accident, I wouldn’t have recovered. And exercise afterwards got me back to doing everything I had done before. If you don’t have a trainer–and even if you do but would prefer to work out on your own–this is a great program.And I hope Ruth lives forever!
MAYSA MARCONDES DE MOURA CARVALHAL –
Muito bom
LP –
Very realistic and achievable. Using it daily, really usable.
Heather –
We’re slowly working through this as space is at a premium right now and I’m still looking for a door suitable for pulling cords against. The exercises are variations on what I’ve done over the years, but more organized into a program I can follow rather then being random exercise done in no particular order. Small book which I may take apart (I have 2 copies) and put into a 3 ring binder so it lays flat on the floor or table while so I can see the next position/exercise to be in without any bother with keeping the pages flat.Fun for him and me. Maybe gardening won’t hurt as much this year!
Amazon Customer in Toronto –
You can do every one of these exercises at home. Very clear and well written format. If you do not have access to a gym, you will need to buy exercise bands and and a door anchor (which I did from AMazon). The book tells you exactly what you need. Nothing expensive.Highly recommend. And I am 71 years old.
Matthew Pollock –
This is a great little book. The problem is that it isn’t properly bound so that the pages quickly start to fall out. If you want a book which will last you about 2 months, this is the one for you!